White people, especially those who call themselves conservative or Republican tend to always excuse police abuses UNTIL it is their own body (or that of someone they love) in the crosshairs. Even in those cases many will excuse the police by stating that the incident was ‘isolated’.

And, when they read or hear of police abuse, they excuse it with ‘oh it’s just a whiney liberal’, or it happened to ‘gangsters’ so it’s OK.

]]>By: Dantehttp://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3255722
Fri, 18 May 2012 23:19:45 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3255722#11
I’m white, and I absolutely hate the police. How does that fit into your views of white people?
]]>By: Burgers Alldayhttp://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3255523
Fri, 18 May 2012 22:23:06 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3255523Packratt has posted sort of an equivocal goodby over at the Injustice Everywhere blog yesterday. fyi.
]]>By: Johnhttp://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3255479
Fri, 18 May 2012 22:15:16 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3255479In fairness, somebody needs to celebrate all the wonderful work of Texan cops, like, um…
]]>By: John P.http://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3255294
Fri, 18 May 2012 21:23:13 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3255294COP WORSHIP, Its all they are interested in… anything less is unacceptable, in the eyes of law enforcement.

Its Cult of Personality law enforcement style.

]]>By: croakerhttp://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3255149
Fri, 18 May 2012 20:36:29 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3255149@5 Remember a few years back when “Homeland Security” tried to get ministers to preach Romans 13 from the pulpit in an effort to quell dissent and suppress ideas like adherence to constitutional principles?

Same idea here, now that dissent and constitutional principles are listed as signs of terrorism.

]]>By: mariehttp://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3255049
Fri, 18 May 2012 20:01:40 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3255049It seems there could be some church/state concerns, particularly when the department starts handing out “badges” to religious leaders (although it isn’t clear if the badges imply any real authority)

In a search situation, when your home is invaded by stranger carrying guns, it isn’t clear that the REAL badges mean anything, either.

This issue should separate the men from the boys in blue, won’t it? Houston will be able to tell good ministers from the bad.

The badges undoubtedly *imply* authority, the question is whether they *grant* real authority. But reading through the article, it becomes clear from the discussion of the badges by the HPD and the good reverend that *taking away the badges* is the form of leverage the HPD is exercising to try to keep their community partner churches in line. That definitely implies that the badges are a perk and have some kind of real advantage. It is inappropriate and a corruption incentive to hand out such markers of authority to *any person* who is not actually a cop and doesn’t actually have any authority to enforce the law. More likely than not, the perk is that the ministers get to flash the badge to avoid security checks, avoid speeding tickets, etc. This kind of thing is a low-level problem that pervades departments across the country.

]]>By: Personanongratahttp://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3254742
Fri, 18 May 2012 18:37:25 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3254742“In PACA, you cannot speak out against the city, nor the police department, you cannot associate yourself with people who are speaking out, and you cannot cause any kind of problem in the city as long as you’re carrying a PACA badge,” said Rev. Jefferson.

So if you turn a blind eye toward malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance in Houston Texas the Houston Police Department will let you carry your very own PACA badge.

What a great bargin for the ordinary folks who fund the Houston Police Department with their taxes and the churches with their tithings.

The darkest depths of Dante’s hell await the souls of these sellouts.

]]>By: James J.B.http://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3254422
Fri, 18 May 2012 17:13:19 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3254422I usually hate stereotypes. However, I think blacks are our only hope on the issue of police brutality. I know that may seem racist (?) but between my white friends and black friends – most of the whites will always find a way to excuse the cops , no matter the race of the victim. In this case, well, he was a burglar after all, so its ok. In saying that though, the black leaders abandon other cases of police abuses, where the victims are white.

While racism may have motivated this beating in Houston, I, as many here no doubt, see it as a larger problem – the cops believe they can beat us without consequences. All to many times, the juries agree.

If the point of the program was to promote and celebrate Houston’s police officers, I suppose you can’t really fault HPD, here.

Well, can’t fault them any extra for this particular part of that, anyway. There’s still plenty of fault in wanting a program that “promote[s] and celebrate[s]” unconditionally.

]]>By: EHhttp://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3254145
Fri, 18 May 2012 15:51:34 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3254145yeah, i like that. PACA is an attempt to create a church/state problem.
]]>By: SJEhttp://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3254074
Fri, 18 May 2012 15:40:40 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3254074#5: you raise an EXCELLENT point. The revamped PACA program raises serious 1st amendment problem under both church-state separation and freedom of speech. A Houston taxpayer could probably start a lawsuit that would make for very bad PR for the HPD and those churches that stay in and lick boots.
]]>By: Quiet Desperationhttp://www.theagitator.com/2012/05/18/ministers-against-crime-except-those-committed-by-police-officers/comment-page-1/#comment-3254069
Fri, 18 May 2012 15:39:45 +0000http://www.theagitator.com/?p=24770#comment-3254069“tarran : The nation state’s grip on power is weakening.”